The invention may be applied to a broad range of applications. For clarity and illustration, an example of biological metabolism of organic carbon waste using oxygen is described in detail below. Although this example is the more common, other less common applications, such as thermophilic bacteria using hydrogen sulfide to chemically and symbiotically “fix” or process organics, are also to be included. This invention uses the assimilation and reproductive mechanism of living organisms, in combination with any of their dependent environmental requirements, as an engine that produces the beneficial conversion of undesirables to desirables. The living organism may be prokaryotes, eukaryotes or a combination thereof. Together, the growth, metabolic and environmental requirements determine the spectrum of conditions required to sustain life. For example, it was only recently discovered that a diversity of life (dependent on microbes—i.e. specific bacteria) abounds in very high temperature, high pressure, nutrient-rich, volcanic vents, thousands of feet undersea. This invention introduces the concept of a bioproactor which, by definition, is an advanced bioreactor. The standard uses of a bioreactor will provide the basis from which this bioproactor evolves.
There is often a rapid uncontrolled decline in the viability of an exponential growth phase bacterial reaction when bioreactor cultures are delivered to a waste stream. Too often the bacteria fail to survive; consequently, there is a rapid diminish in function and number. Factors, likes toxic shock, water quality or hostile conditions in the field, all contribute to undesirable failure. Likewise, a waste stream delivered to a bioreactor is also difficult to control. Typically waste is inconsistent, incompatible and toxic to the system. In addition, by-products of the reaction accumulate and the exponential growth phase stops.
This invention introduces a novel approach to the above problems. A new system, containing a wet combustion engine solves these problems. Based on advanced support technologies, the wet combustion engine, deploying pre-emptive, proactive control, is described as a bioproactor. Details and definitions follow that describe how waste is converted to fuel; then burned in a wet combustion chamber. The three cycles of intake, combustion, and exhaust are repeated as necessary. Surplus recycled exhaust is separated into undesirable and desirable streams. Regenerative recycled desirables are stored or returned to the process as needed. The bioproactor concurrently generates, delivers, sustains, and replenishes microbial exponential growth while removing undesirable by-products without compromising their environment.
This invention was made possible by recent advances in a number of areas. First, advanced aeration technology, in particular vacuum Bubble™ aeration, maintains high oxygen delivery potential to the bioproactor. Second, advanced bio-generation has the ability to deliver highly-concentrated, exponential growth phase bacteria as required. Third, a synergy is created in combining the bioproactor's pre-emptive life-support capabilities with computer control using PID algorithms. Fourth, biosensor feedback administers interactive management of high bacterial growth rates and their accompanying demands. The diversity and advancements in membrane technology have contributed to the practical implementation of the wet combustion engine concept and thereby allowed the bioproactor concept to become a reality.
For convenience and clarity, water and bacteria are herein referred to as the liquid and microbe of choice, respectively. It is within the scope of this invention that other liquids, capable of supporting living organisms, as well as other life-forms be included. For example, higher-order multi-celled organisms such a zoo-plankton, capable of oxidation/reduction, as well as other electron donors and acceptors (e.g. in place of oxygen such as sulfur or nitrogen) are also to be included as wet combustion engine components.
The following definitions will aid in the understanding of the advanced capabilities of the bioproactor with the pro-active, pre-emptive ability in support of the wet combustion engine system.
1. biological burning
2. PID
3. bioreactor
4. proactive
5. recycle process, (RP)
6. regenerative recycle process (RRP)
7. proportional regenerative recycle process, at times referred to as (PRRP)
8. bioproactor
9. minomax
10. exponential growth phase bacteria, at times referred to as (EGB)
11. life-support
12. bio-generation
13. advanced aeration
14. microbial food equivalent, at times referred to as (MFE)
15. PLC and integrated computer systems
16. gas, liquid and solid/liquids, at times referred to as (G,L,S/L)
17. discard, removal or elimination
1 biological burning Refers to the process, within a liquid such as water, of the oxidation-reduction of molecules by microbes. It is an object of this invention to also include the chemical/biological oxidation/reduction occurring before and after combustion in the combustion chamber of the wet combustion engine as well as in the intake and holding tanks, respectively. The burning utilizes enzymes produced by the microbes that subsequently act as organic catalysts.2. P-I-D Stands for Proportional, Integral, Derivative (Relating to a Bioproactor).
Process control input variables can be continuously measured and directly fed into computer algorithms. Precise output adjustment calculated by the P-I-D algorithms improves the rise time (the “P” benefit with less time required to complete an effort), improves overshoot control (The “P-I” benefit reduces over-correction efforts with an additional reduction in time), and eliminates reaction steady-state errors (the “P-I-D” benefit analogous to successfully applying an intense effort at the last possible moment to have a best effort in the least amount of time). This input feedback-output control method is common and perfected throughout industry. Monitoring changes and pro-acting before the full impact is delivered vastly improves reaction potential and efficiency. This very mechanism when applied to anticipated needs gives the bioproactor a pre-emptive capability. For example, a rapid increase in carbon dioxide gas production is detected and analyzed, predicting a highly active microbe reaction is underway; this triggers a pre-emptive adjustment for pH before the reaction limit is reached. It is this anticipatory proactive control that makes a bioproactor an integral part of the wet combustion engine system. See the internet publication obtained on Jul. 23, 2002 from Carnegie Mellon and The University of Michigan titled: PID Tutorial.
3. bioreactor (referring to use of a vessel containing viable microbes) as: reaction vessel into which viable microbes are introduced and allowed to react.
4. proactive (referring to pre-emptive actions, e.g. acting in advance) as: dynamic ability to recognize, anticipate, rapidly adjust, and thereby sustain critical living conditions.
5 recycle process (referring to gas, liquid and solid/liquid process streams) separating undesirable from desirable matter and storing and reusing same
6 regenerative recycle process (RRP) (dealing with life-support factors) restoring and purifying matter to equal or greater quality.
7 proportional regenerative recycle process (PRRP) (life-support conditions) Fractional portion of the system is removed and simultaneously replaced by regenerative recycled or new matter.
8. bioproactor or bio-proactor (referring to a highly evolved bioreactor) as: a highly evolved bioreactor capable of proactive, pre-emptive life-support. By definition, a bioproactor actively makes beneficial adjustments in advance of critical life-threatening conditions. A bioproactor senses biologically pertinent changes in real-time, adjusts in anticipation of the consequences of those changes, or compensates in advance. The bioproactor can incorporate pre-emptive actions, such as proportional regeneration (concurrent recycling), real-time quantitative and qualitative analysis of biomass production, and pre-emptive adjustments from historical analysis of bio-sensing biological activity.9 minomax (describes range limits where “o” is short for “optimum”), the optimum as a subset of minimum and maximum range limits wherein the optimum is a preferred but not a required range within the minimum and maximums.10. exponential growth phase bacteria (or EGB) (one of four growth phases) bacteria multiplying at their maximum rate when adequate substrate and nutrient are supplied; temperature is the remaining limiting factor. (See: Waste Water Engineering, 4th edition, Metcalf & Eddy, McGraw-Hill, ©2003, Pg 566-567)11. life-support system (referring to living, multiplying organisms, e.g. microbes such as bacteria) system required to maintain an adequate supply of energy, carbon sources, organic or inorganic elements and nutrients, to support the surviving exponential growth phase bacteria [in the bioproactor]. (See: Waste Water Engineering, 4th edition, Metcalf & Eddy, McGraw-Hill, ©2003, Pg 564).12. bio-generation (an advanced bio-reactor producing exponential growth phase organisms) ability to produce large quantities of exponential growth phase bacteria in high concentrations on a regular basis. (e.g. 10 trillion/liter each 24 hrs).13. advanced aeration (delivery of gases into solvents such as liquid water) ability to maintain dissolved gas levels into a bioproactor at a rate sufficient enough to support exponential growth microbes, (i.e., by a vacuum Bubble™ aeration). See Sewage Aeration Systems brochure.14. microbial food equivalent, (at times referred to as MFE) fuel resulting from a waste refining process, treated, prepared and adjusted to produce a grade of fuel also considered a microbial food equivalent that is capable of being biologically burned.15. PLC/integrated computer/computer (PLC is short for programmable logic controller) PLC is functionally equivalent to a computer. The term integrated is used herein to include feedback from input and output controls connected to a PLC, computer or a combined network of both.16. Gas, liquid and solid/liquids, process stream has all three phases, each requiring a different recycling means. Traditional means and technology may be used for all: desirables are kept for reuse or for storage while undesirables are eliminated. Solid/liquid refers to practical means of treating solids in slurry form.17. Discarded or eliminated. Commercially salvageable matter is sold. Disposal, removal or elimination of undesirables is understood to be in an environmentally safe manner. A further object of this invention is to safely complete molecular conversion of waste to a preferred form, most typically molecules containing carbon, to carbon dioxide.